Calibrachoa plant named ‘Duealtisopi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Duealtisopi’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright and outwardly spreading to trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely branching growth habit; numerous large soft pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Duealtisopi’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duealtisopi’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Calibrachoa cultivars with large attractive flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2006 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number F-03-0316, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number F-03-1918, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since May, 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duealtisopi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duealtisopi’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:

-   -   1. Compact, semi-upright and outwardly spreading to trailing and         decumbent plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Numerous large soft pink-colored flowers.     -   4. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the parent selections. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower color. In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa are more vigorous than plants of the male parent selection.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘KLECA06128’. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of ‘KLECA06128’ in flower color as plants of ‘KLECA06128’ have burgundy-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa are more freely branching and have larger flowers than plants of ‘KLECA06128’.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of Calibrachoa ‘Celebration Salmon’, not patented. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants of ‘Celebration Salmon’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are not as compact as plants of         ‘Celebration Salmon’.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have longer internodes than         plants of ‘Celebration Salmon’.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more freely branching than         plants of ‘Celebration Salmon’.     -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Celebration Salmon’.     -   5. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants         of ‘Celebration Salmon’.     -   6. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Celebration Salmon’ differ         in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa. The photograph is a top perspective view of a typical flowering lateral branch of ‘Duealtisopi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 10.5-cm containers in Rheinberg, Germany, under commercial practice during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and night temperatures averaging 18° C. and light levels averaging 4,500 lux. Rooted young plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting had been growing for 13 weeks when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Duealtisopi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number F-03-0316, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number F-03-1918, not             patented.

Propagation:

-   -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright and outwardly             spreading to trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely             branching habit with about 10 to 15 lateral branches;             pinching enhances branching; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 11 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 25 cm.

-   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 16 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.25 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading to trailing             and decumbent.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144A.

-   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, simple; after             flowering, opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137C; venation, close to 144A.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 2.4 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.

-   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually             about 40 open flowers and flower buds per plant; flowers             face upright or outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa             initiate and develop flowers about four weeks after             planting; plants flower continuously from the spring until             the autumn in Germany.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.3 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 2 cm.             Diameter: About 4 mm. Color: Close to 68C to 68D and 1A to             1B.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 1.7 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.8 cm. Petal apex:             Rounded. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when             opening, upper surface: Close to 73C. Petal, when opening,             lower surface: Close to 73D. Petal, fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 75B; color becoming closer to 73C and 75C             with development; venation, close to 165A to 165B. Petal,             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 75D; venation, close             to 165A to 165B. Throat: Close to 66A; venation, close to             165A to Tube: Close 9A; venation, close to 144C and 165A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five sepals;             sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 1.4 cm. Sepal             width: About 4.6 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:             Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Color, lower surface: Close to 137A to 137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Angle: About 45° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Six per             flower. Filament length: About 5.4 mm. Filament color: Close             to 151A to 151B. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther length:             About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 17A to 17B. Pollen             amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 13A. Pistils:             Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Style             length: About 9 mm. Style color: Close to 144A to 144B.             Stigma shape: Ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to 144A.             Ovary color: Close to 144A to 144B. Seed/fruit: Seed and             fruit development have not been observed on plants of the             new Calibrachoa.

-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C.

-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Calibrachoa. 

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Duealtisopi’ as illustrated and described. 